Elective Affinities
by MasterofCupcakes
Summary: When Jay's friend sets him up on a blind date, things turn out a bit differently than expected… (AU) - Jaya and Pixane fluff. Complete / Cover was made by my friend Sopherloafer from wattpad!
1. Chapter 1: Double Date

Chapter 1: Double Date

 _Monday evening_

"Please, tell me again, why exactly are we doing this?" Jay Walker asked his friend, while the two young men were walking towards the restaurant.

"Because you are one of my closest friends, who just happens to be not in a relationship at this moment." Zane stated.

"Yeah, thanks a lot for reminding me." The auburn-haired young man sarcastically replied. "I mean, it's not that my mum wouldn't go on about it _every single time_ I talk to her on the phone."

But as much as he disliked hearing it, Jay could not deny the fact that his friend and his mother were right. He _was_ currently single – again. His relationships never lasted long. But, unlike his friends (and his parents) suspected, he was not purposely avoiding having a serious relationship, and he wouldn't mind settling down one day. Jay simply hadn't found the right girl yet.

He just wasn't as lucky as Cole, his best friend and former college roommate, who had been with his girlfriend since their first year at _Ninjago University_. Jay himself was one of the few people who knew about Cole's plan to propose to Seliel on Valentine's Day.

"Besides, Pixal is a very nice, extremely intelligent and exceptionally beautiful young woman. I am convinced that you will like her." Zane's statement interrupted his thoughts.

Jay smirked. "If she is so great, why don't _you_ take her on a date?"

To Jay's surprise, his flatmate blushed slighly in response to this question. "I-I do not think she would be interested. We merely see each other as friends." He explained. "Unfortunately." Zane added, barely audible.

Since Jay had know him, Zane's main focus had always been on realising to his dream to open his own restaurant, as soon as he would have gained enough experience and saved enough money. At the age of only 24, he was already the sous-chef at a small but very popular restaurant. But the late working hours associated with his profession made it very hard for him to find a girlfriend and, until recently, Zane hadn't even shown any interest in dating at all.

But that had changed a few weeks ago, when the restaurant manager had hired a new waitress. Pixal was a student at _Ninjago Tech_ , who worked three to four evenings a week. She and Zane had become good friends. They had now agreed to set up each other with blind dates and go on a double date together for Valentine's Day. (Although today was only the 11th February, but neither Zane nor Pixal would be able to take time off work on the evening of the actual Valentine's Day.) So, Zane had asked his friend and flatmate Jay to be Pixal's date for tonight, whereas she had invited a friend of hers to be Zane's date.

Zane stopped in front of a rather fancy-looking Italian restaurant. "Well, here we are."

"Alright, let's chop-socky this lemonade stand." Jay replied, trying to hide his nervousness with a joke.

Zane gave him a rather confused look. "I do not understand what you are trying to say, but I assume that you are very eager to meet the two lovely ladies."

Jay and Zane entered the restaurant and were greeted by a friendly woman at the reception. "Good evening Sirs. Welcome to _Garmadon's_. Do you have a reservation?"

"Good evening. We have a booked a table for four, please. The name is Zane Julien." Zane told her.

"Julien... Ah, here we are. Lloyd will be your waiter for tonight." She checked her notes. "We have your table ready, but maybe you would like to wait at the bar, until the other two guests arrive?"

Lloyd, a young man with golden blonde hair, welcomed Jay and Zane and let them to the bar. "Would you like a complimentary drink while you are waiting?"

"No, thank you." Zane declined the offer for both of them and sat down. Jay also took a seat and fiddled nervously with his blue tie.

"Now I understand why you asked me to wear a suit tonight. Seriously, how did you manage to get a reservation at _this_ place? And how in Ninjago are we supposed to afford it?"

"Mr Garmadon was a teacher in one of the masterclasses I attended. And he is trying to recruit me as his new chef, therefore we have all been invited by him tonight."

Before Jay could react to this surprising revelation, two young women entered the restaurant. The taller one was wearing an elegant purple dress. She had green eyes and long light blonde, almost silver, hair in a high ponytail. Jay recognised her as Pixal, from a photo that Zane had shown him.

The other woman in a red dress looked strangely familiar to him as well. She was much shorter than her friend and had short raven-black hair. Jay was wracking his brain from where he knew her. But when she looked at him with her chocolate brown eyes, Jay suddenly remembered who she was.

"Jay." She exclaimed. "What are you doing here? I haven't seen you in ages."

"Hi Nya." He smiled at her. "What a nice surprise."

"Good evening Mesdames." Zane greeted the two new arrivals. "Pixal, this my friend Jay. Jay, please meet Pixal, my... coworker. And you must be Nya. My name is Zane. I am delighted to meet you."

The four guests followed Lloyd to their round table for four, where a bottle of champagne was waiting for them. Jay took a seat between Pixal and Nya, with Zane sitting opposite him. Lloyd filled their glasses and handed them the menus. "I will be back in a few minutes to take your orders." He told them.

Jay opened his fancy looking menu, only to realise that he was unfamiliar with most items on it. He took a glimpse at Nya who was sitting on his left and saw that she was struggling to choose as well. Zane and Pixal were of course a lot more familiar with the different food items - and luckily, they were very helpful. When Lloyd returned, they had decided to share an _antipasto_ platter for four as starter. For their main courses, Zane and Pixal both wanted to try the _Saltimbocca alla Romana_ , apparently one of the specialities at Garmadon's. Nya was vegetarian, so she asked for the _Risotto ai Funghi_. Jay was still slightly intimidated by the variety of choices and simply ordered _Lasagne Al Forno_ , one of the very few items on the menu that he had actually recognised. Pixal also chose a bottle of red wine for all of them to go with the food.

Pixal looked curiously at Jay and Nya. "It seems like the two of you are old friends. So, tell me. How do you know each other?"

Nya laughed. "Oh, I wouldn't say that we knew each other well enough to be friends. Jay just went to school with my older brother."

Jay was just a bit disappointed at her interpretation of their relationship, but he didn't want to show it, of course. So he was quick to agree. "Yeah, we-we only met a few times, when Kai and I were working on some science projects together at their home."

 _And I used to have a major crush on her but was too shy to ask her out._ He added in his mind. And she was even prettier today than how he remembered her. She used to have long hair, but was now wearing it in a short bob cut, perfectly accentuating her _stunning_ almond shaped brown eyes.

"How is Kai doing by the way?" He asked, taking a sip from his glass. "I haven't heard from him since we left school."

"Pretty great. Last summer, he got his degree in chemistry from _Ninjago Tech_. He then joined the police and is currently training to become an explosives specialist."

Jay laughed. "Yeah, he always loved to blow things up."

Nya joined in. "Absolutely. I remember when the two of you set our carpet on fire with one of your 'experiments'. But now he is finally able to make a living from it. And do you remember Skylor, the girl he started dating in your final year at school? Yes, he is still in the same on-off relationship with her."

When their starter arrived, Jay thought that he should pay more attention to his own date than to Zane's, so he turned to the woman sitting on his right.

"So, Pixal. Ahem, I-I heard from Zane that... you are a student at _Ninjago_ _Tech_?" He asked.

"That is correct. I hope to obtain my degree in computer science this summer." She replied.

"Hope?" Zane threw in. "She has the most brilliant mind I have ever encountered. Pixal has just updated the booking and ordering system at the restaurant completely on her own."

Pixal smiled at him. "That is too kind of you. But my own work pales in comparison to your creations."

Zane was obviously flustered. "Let's-let's not talk about me. What do you do, Nya? Pixal has only told me that you are her roommate at college. It was very thoughtful of her to give me the opportunity to find out more about you myself." He praised his friend.

"I am a medical student, also at _Ninjago_ _Tech_."

Jay was impressed. "I am sure you will make a great doctor." He said, already abandoning his resolution again to focus on Pixal instead of Nya. But the other girl didn't seem to mind, for Pixal started discussing new ideas about the restaurant management system with Zane.

Nya blushed. "Ah, thank you. So, what are you doing? Do you still like inventing? The last time we met you told me that you wanted to do engineering."

Jay could hardly believe that she remembered their last meeting, just before he left for college. _He_ had definitely not forgotten the hug Nya had given him when they had said goodbye.

"Wow, you do have a great memory. Yes, I have a degree in electrical engineering. And I still get to do some inventing, because I work in the R&D department at _Borg_ _Industries_."

"I am glad you do. You were always so passionate about your inventions, even though they usually didn't work."

"Please don't tell the last part to Mr Borg."

All through their main course, Jay and Nya kept chatting and laughing among each other, while Zane and Pixal were also having an animated conversation.

 _I'll never believe him ever again, when Zane tells me that someone is just a friend to him._ Jay thought. _Why in Ninjago would he set me up with a girl he likes himself?_

A pleasant evening was coming to an end, much too soon in Jay's opinion. At Lloyd's recommendation, they had all enjoyed the famous Garmadon's _Tiramisu_ for their dessert.

Zane looked at the girl he had been set up on a blind date with. "Nya, would you like to dance, to conclude our date?" He offered politely.

Nya must have noticed the disappointed look on her roommate's face and quickly declined the offer. "That's very kind of you, Zane, but... I don't _really_ know how to dance. Why don't you dance with Pixal? I happen to know that she is a very skilled dancer."

While Zane led Pixal over the dancefloor in the centre of the restaurant, Jay and Nya stayed at their table.

"You are a horrible liar." Jay told the girl. "I remember that you danced very well at Kai and I's graduation party."

"Well, this was for a good reason." She replied. "They look so lovely together. And I... actually preferred staying here with you." She admitted.

Jay blushed. "I-I am glad you did. And... I would... very much... l-like to... to see you again. And not only in another five years, or so."

Nya smiled, also with a light blush on her cheeks. "That would be very nice."

"Well, I assume that you have no plans for Thursday... only because you went on a blind date today. I mean, it's hard to believe you don't have ten dates for Valentine's Day. At least. But if you don't, then _maybe_ we could go for dinner... and a dance. But... you don't have to if you don't want to, of course..."

"You mean, like a date?"

"Y-yeah."

"I-I would like that. A lot actually. But before I can accept, I want to make sure it's fine with Pixal. After all, you were supposed to be her date tonight."

Jay looked at their friends who were gracefully moving together over the dancefloor.

"Of course, I am also going to ask Zane, if he's okay with me going out with _his_ date." He flashed her a smile. "But I don't think either of them will mind. They appear to be rather happy on their own pre-Valentine's date!"


	2. Chapter 2: Girls Talk

Chapter 2: Girls Talk

 _Monday night_

As soon as she entered the dorm room that she shared with Pixal, Nya plopped down on her bed and kicked off her high heel shoes.

"Ah, that's much better." She sighed in relief, stretching her feet. "How can some people survive wearing these all day long? I am so glad the guys drove use home."

Nya noticed the sceptical look her roommate gave her.

"Are you alright?" She asked worriedly. "You haven't spoken a single word, since we've left the restaurant."

"I-I... just do not understand you." Pixal simply stated.

"Of course, _you_ wouldn't understand that problem." Nya laughed. "You don't have to wear these types of shoes. Even in flats, you are taller than me with these ridiculous heels."

"I was not talking about your _shoes_. I was talking about your _date_."

"What do you mean?" Nya questioned her friend.

"I gave you the opportunity to enjoy an evening in the company of the most handsome, charming, and intelligent man I know." Pixal explained. "And you've hardly spoken to him at all but spent the whole night talking to a former classmate of your _brother's_. You've even lied to Zane about your dancing skills."

Nya was quite upset when she heard these accusations. "Well, first of all I am not the only one who didn't pay much attention to her blind date tonight." She replied. "You didn't seem very interested in getting to know Jay either. Secondly, I don't think Zane minded at all, he seemed quite happy talking and dancing with you instead. And finally... Why did you set me up on a date with someone you are in love with yourself?" She almost shouted the last part.

Pixal paled. When Nya noticed the green eyes glistening with tears, she quickly walked over to her roommate and embraced her in a warm hug. This gesture was enough to cause Pixal to break down and she started to cry. Nya didn't say anything, she just held her taller friend tight and gently stroke over her silver-blonde hair.

Neither of them said a word for a long time. The only sound that could be heard in their room was Pixal's sobbing.

Nya was surprised. Pixal had _never_ cried before. At least not in Nya's presence, and certainly not over a guy. She generally wasn't a very emotional type. Whenever the pretty girl had dated someone and it hadn't worked out, she had simply shrugged it off as them being 'not compatible'. So, this strong reaction came rather unexpected.

Finally, Pixal was able to stop crying. "Thank you." She wiped her eyes and gave her friend a weak, embarrassed smile. "I-I am so sorry about this. This is not like me at all...

Nya smiled back at her. "Hey, you don't ever have to apologize for crying." She replied. "And it was partially my fault, I probably should have been a bit less blunt."

"No, no, you were completely right." Pixal told her. Nya was happy to see some colour returning onto her friend's pale face, even if it was just a slight blush. "I-I guess I _was_ quite obvious..."

"Yes, you were." Nya agreed with a smile. "But don't worry," she quickly added. " _He_ hasn't noticed."

"Well, that's a relief. But... are you sure about it?"

"Absolutely." Nya grinned. "Zane was way too busy hiding his own feelings for you..."

The other girl looked down. "Please stop making fun of me. This is very serious."

"And so am I. Pixal, you are the smartest person I know. How can you be so stupid in this matter? It was obvious to _everyone_ , except you, that he likes you. A lot."

"Then why does he always tells me that I am such a wonderful _friend_ to him?! I mean, he even calls me his _best_ female friend. So I was worried that, when he finds an actual girlfriend, he will not want me as his friend anymore. And that's why I... well, suggested this whole blind date thing...I thought if he was dating _you_ , I-I would at least still get to see him from time to time..."

Tears started to form in her eyes again. "I know that it wasn't fair of me to set you up, just because I was afraid of losing Zane to some random stranger. But you have to believe me, I really thought you might like each other..."

"Oh, I do like him, I just don't _like_ him." Nya smirked. "I would prefer getting to know him as _your_ boyfriend. And don't tell me you don't feel the same."

Pixal shook her head. "No, you are right. And it is completely illogical for me to be afraid to tell him. I think... I will talk to him tomorrow, when I see him at the restaurant."

"Why not now?" Nya didn't want her friend to delay the conversation, worried that she might find an excuse to back out from it later.

"I-I've waited so long that... I don't want to rush anything now. I'd rather sleep over it, so I don't say anything stupid. "

"But you have to promise me that you will talk to him."

"I promise. But only if you are a hundred percent sure that you are not interested in him."

"One hundred and twenty percent sure. You would probably say that we are just... not compatible. Not like you and him..."

"... or you and Jay?" Pixal asked, raising her eyebrow.

Now it was Nya's turn to blush. "Maybe..." She replied. "I-I really enjoyed spending time with him. And, by the way, he-he asked me on another date with him. Well, technically it would be _our_ first date..."

Pixal beamed at her friend. "Why didn't you say so earlier? I feel so bad that we've only been talking about me..."

"Because you are my best friend. And I want you to be happy."

Pixal hugged the smaller girl. "And you are my best friend, even though you want to go out with _my_ blind date."

"Only if you don't mind, of course."

"Of course not." Pixal smiled. "I'd much rather go out with _yours_."


	3. Chapter 3: Late Night Phone Calls (1)

Chapter 3: Late Night Phone Calls (I)

Jay entered his room and closed the door with a sigh. He had just been through a rather heated and unusually emotional discussion with his normally very cool and calm flatmate.

The auburn-haired young man sat down on his bed and carefully took a folded piece of paper from his shirt pocket. He unfolded it and gently tried to flatten the small creases. With a happy smile on his face, he looked at the name and number that were written on it.

Jay took his phone from the small nightstand next to his bed and saved the number to his contacts. He really, _really_ wanted to call this number right now, or at least send a text message - just to make sure he had read the details correctly, of course - but he wasn't confident enough to do so.

 _Seriously, who in Ninjago came up with that stupid rule that you shouldn't call a girl immediately after the first date? Although... I mean, technically we weren't on our first date… well, at least not with each other..._

Jay was still caught up in his thoughts, when his phone gave a little buzz to notify him that he had received a new message.

 _Probably from Mum who wants to know how my blind date went_. He thought. _I guess I should be glad she didn't call me while we were at the restaurant to talk to the girl herself_. Jay dearly loved his parents, but they could sometimes be quite embarrassing, especially when it came to the topic of _his_ relationships – and _their_ future grandchildren.

But when he opened the message, Jay saw that it came from the same number he had just added to his contacts. 'RU still awake?' It said.

Jay smiled and immediately wrote back. 'Yep. What about you?' The moment he pressed the 'send' button, he realised that this was indeed a very stupid question, so he anxiously waited for a reply.

'Obviously XD'. He was relieved that the other person had not been put off by his mistake. And at that moment Jay decided to simply ignore the 'do not call straight after the first date' rule. 'Wanna talk?' He quickly typed into his phone.

'Sure. Just gimme a minute, I'll call U.' Jay was ecstatic when he saw the positive answer. But it took a bit more than a minute – Jay had counted exactly 83 seconds – before his phone rang. He took a deep breath, before he pressed the green answer button.

"H-hi Nya." Was all he managed to say.

Jay had said – or more like stammered – only two words, but Nya's heart had still skipped a beat upon hearing his voice.

Following a rather eventful evening, Nya and her roommate had gotten ready for bed straight after their conversation and Pixal's recovering from her breakdown. Nya could tell from the regular breathing from the other side of the room that her exhausted friend had immediately fallen asleep, while she herself was still way too excited.

It had taken her a while to muster the courage to send a – very short and very casual – message to Jay. She was worried that she might appear too desperate to speak to him again, only a few hours after meeting him. So she had been delighted when it had been Jay to suggest the phone call.

"H-Hi." She replied nervously. "I-I just wanted to make sure that you... got home alright."

 _Great job Nya. You just came up with the lamest excuse ever for texting him_.

But Jay either didn't notice or didn't mind."Yeah, no problem... thanks. As you've seen yourself earlier, Zane is a very safe driver." This was followed a short moment of awkward silence.

"Is... everything alright?" Jay asked. "Your voice sounds a bit... different."

Nya was glad that he couldn't see her blushing.

"Pixal is already sleeping, so I don't want to wake her up. I am in our tiny bathroom and I can't talk too loud."

 _I_ _hope he doesn't think I am actually using the bathroom while talking to him..._

But Jay just laughed. "Yeah, having to share a room is one of the things I definitely don't miss about college. My former roommate is still my best friend, but I am more than happy that I don't have to deal with his snoring anymore..."

"This makes me feel very lucky that Pixal is an incredibly quiet sleeper. I think she doesn't even move."

"That's good. But I really couldn't imagine her being as bad a snorer as Cole is..."

Nya joined in his laughter. She realised that this little chat had taken away some of her nervousness, so she was finally able to think more clearly again.

"Well, actually... I-I also wanted to tell you that you were right."

"Of course I was." He joked. "But what about?"

Nya had to giggle again. "When we got home, I spoke to Pixal and... she admitted that she is madly in love with Zane."

"Aah, that's great news." Jay replied. "I also had a longer conversation with Zane and... I really hope you won't be disappointed to hear that your blind date is more interested in your roommate than in you."

"Not at all, I am _so_ happy to hear that." Nya told him. "When we talked, Pixal was very emotional. I've _never_ seen her like this before. It took me a good bit of convincing to make her promise me that she will confess to him tomorrow. So it would be really awful, if we had been wrong about him. I'd hate to see her getting disappointed."

"Nah, there's absolutely no reason to worry about that. But it sounds like we had a similar idea. Zane also has to tell Pixal, when he sees her at work tomorrow. After weeks and weeks of denial, it was hard enough for him to admit his feelings for her to me - and especially to himself - so he wanted to have a bit of time before talking to the actual object of his affection."

Nya felt very happy for her friend – and maybe for herself as well.

"I guess... that also means that he is fine about you going out with me, right?" She asked hopefully. "Or... didn't you get to ask him?"

"Of course, I did. And he doesn't mind at all." Nya was almost sure she could hear his wide grin through the phone. "I..."

At that moment, there was a little 'click' in their connection.

"Was that your phone?" Jay was slightly bewildered. "It sounds like someone is trying to call. But it's not for me."

Nya checked her phone. "Oh, sorry, that's my brother."

 _Great timing Kai, as always_. She thought.

"O-okay." Jay sounded slightly disappointed. "Well, I guess that means..."

"No, please wait." She interrupted him. "I can just call him back in a few minutes..."

 _You haven't finished asking me out yet!_ She added in her mind.

"Don't worry, I'd rather see you in person again anyway."

Nya blushed. _Yesss!_

"Me too." She said as calmly as she could. "Do you still want to go out for Valentine's Day?"

"I-I'd love to." Jay quickly answered. "Not sure if we can still get a table for dinner anywhere nice though. But don't worry. I'll get Zane to ask around. He knows a lot of other chefs. And, depending on how tomorrow turns out, he might owe us one anyway..."

"Sounds great. And please don't forget you promised me a dance."

"I wouldn't want to miss that in the world. Goodnight Nya. I'll call you tomorrow with the details, okay?"

"Perfect. Goodnight Jay." Nya replied.

 _I can't wait for tomorrow - and for Thursday._ She thought.


	4. Chapter 4: Late Night Phone Calls (2)

Chapter 4: Late Night Phone Calls (II)

Nya scrolled through the contacts on her phone, still wearing a huge smile on her face. When she got to Kai's entry – who was coincidentally directly below Jay's – she briefly considered to just call the person listed above her brother again.

 _No... we've already broken one of the 'first date rules'. Plus, I don't want to appear desperate to talk to him. He promised to call tomorrow. And I can wait until then, right?_

Also, she had made Kai wait long enough already. He always got worried easily when she didn't take his calls right away, especially when he knew that she had been out at night. So she quickly skipped over her latest entry and called her brother's mobile number instead.

Kai answered his phone on the first ring. "Hi sis, I tried to call you maybe five minutes ago. Are you alright? Are you back home from your blind date? And, talking about the date, how was it?" He asked.

Nya had to smile at his antics - and Kai's rant reminded her of a certain someone she had met earlier - but she also felt a bit guilty and selfish about not answering his call straight away, despite knowing her brother would be worried.

"Good evening Kai. Yes, I am fine. I saw that you called and I am sorry that I couldn't answer right away. I was... busy."

"Busy?" Kai asked suspiciously. "What's that supposed to mean? And... where are you? You sound a bit... strange..."

So Nya had to explain her 'current location' in the bathroom again.

"That means... you are at home?" Her brother sounded relieved. Nya smiled inwardly.

 _Yes, I am 22 years old and still the baby sister that Kai wants to protect. I bet he's still gonna be the same, even if... or when I hope... I will have children of my own one day._

But, truth be told, she didn't want him to ever stop caring that much about her. Nya herself still hadn't gotten used to not seeing her older brother every day.

After their parents had been killed in an accident ten years ago, people had told the then-thirteen-year-old Kai to 'take care of his little sister' and he had taken the task very seriously. Maybe sometimes a bit too seriously.

During his first year at Ninjago Tech, he had even decided to continue to live with their foster family and cycle all the way to college every day. Only when Nya had also started college a year later, they had both moved to their new accommodations on campus.

So the past few months since Kai had finished college had in fact been the first time they had ever been apart for a longer period. Currently they were only able to see each other every second Sunday, when they would meet for lunch with their foster parents. So they regularly talked on the phone.

"Kai, I have classes tomorrow morning so I need to get up very early." Nya tried – but failed miserably – to sound offended by his question. "So even if I wanted, I just couldn't stay out all night. But what's up? You didn't just call to make sure that I am sleeping in my own bed tonight, did you?"

"Well, you should know me well enough to understand that it was the main reason for my call." Kai admitted. "But you are right, it was not the only reason." He suddenly sounded quite upset, so Nya got a bit worried about him for a change. But her concerns only lasted for a brief moment, until she heard the reason for his sudden mood change: "Skylor and me had a fight and... well, we broke up. But I've already made a dinner reservation for Valentine's Day and I know that you had your early Valentine's date tonight, so I was wondering if you would like to have dinner with your brother on Thursday."

"Kai, since you've known her, you and Skylor have broken up a few days before Valentine's every year. And you've always managed to make up again before or on the actual day."

"No, I'm pretty sure it won't work out that way this time..."

"That's what you told me last year as well. And the year before. And..."

"Yeah, I got it." Kai interrupted her. "Maybe I should call her..."

"Of course you should." Nya stated firmly. "But I'd recommend you wait until tomorrow morning. It's pretty late already. You know that she doesn't like to be woken up. And this way you also will have both calmed down a bit when you talk – and apologise – to her."

I can't believe I'm telling my big brother how to sort out his issues with his girlfriend of six years. I mean, it's not like I'm the most qualified person to give relationship advice. C'mon, I've never had a boyfriend for longer than six weeks... But still, after Kai had always been there for her, it meant a lot to Nya, that she was the one to support him this time. So...

"I'm sure you'll be fine." She further encouraged him.

"Thanks sis. I really needed to hear that."

"No problem, that's what little sisters are for. Well, and to make you worry, of course."

Kai laughed. "Good point. So what about I take you out for dinner another day then, to thank you for your help? Only if I manage to patch up thinks with Skylor, of course."

"You will. And I'd love to meet you over dinner, maybe some time next week?"

"Sound good." Kai agreed. "And now tell me, how was your blind date this evening? Is this Zane guy really as amazing as your roomate insists?"

"Well, he is very nice and very handsome, yes. But it was pretty obvious that he is much more interested in dating Pixal herself than me. And... I might have met someone else as well..."

"You've met 'someone else', while you were on a date? Sis, I really should keep a better eye on you..."

"Hey, you make it sound way worse than it was." Nya defended herself. "He was Pixal's blind date. Didn't I tell you about the whole double date setup?"

"Don't worry, you did. But are you sure your friend doesn't mind? Just because your date likes her doesn't mean that you can take her date..."

"Nah, she actually likes Zane as well. But they were both too shy to admit it. So you were actually the second person this evening that I had to give relationship advice to. I really should start charging people..."

"I've already promised to take you out for dinner, but don't try to change the topic now. Tell me about _him_."

"Well, do you remember Jay Walker? The two of you went to high school together."

"Jay?" Kai was surprised. "My science partner who loved inventing and never stopped talking?"

"Yep, the same one." Nya confirmed. _But don't forget the guy who would always make me laugh, whenever he came over to our house. Who paid attention to his classmate's little sister. And who has the most amazing blue eyes I have ever seen... why did I never notice that before?_

"How is he doing? I haven't heard from him, since we finished school." Kai enquired.

"Very well. He works at Borg Industries now, in the R&D department."

"That's great to hear, he has always admired Cyrus Borg. He used to tell everyone that one day he would work for him, whenever yet another of his inventions didn't work... so his skills must have improved a lot."

"C'mon, he wasn't _that_ bad."

"Alright, some of his ideas did work out...kind of okay." Coming from Kai, this could almost be considered as a huge compliment. "So, are you trying to tell me that Jay is the guy who you 'might have met' tonight?"

"I am." Nya confirmed. "He is Zane's flatmate, so Zane had asked him to be Pixal's blind date. But then ... Jay and I ended up talking instead. Which was fine, because Pixal and Zane enjoyed being with each other as well. So we all had a great time and..." She swallowed. "Jay, he asked me out on another date. But just the two of us this time."

Nya braced herself for some more 'big brother protectiveness', but to her surprise, Kai started to laugh. "I can't believe he has actually managed to ask you out. I mean, it only took him like five years..."

"What-what is that supposed to mean?" Nya was surprised.

"C'mon, it was so obvious that he had a major crush on you, when we were at school. And everyone knew about it. But he was way too scared to ask you out."

"Scared of me or of you?" Nya raised an eyebrow.

Kai had apparently decided not to answer that question, as he continued. "Well, if he keeps going at that pace, I don't have to worry that he will do _anything_. He probably won't even try to kiss you for at least another three years."

Nya blushed. _No way_. She thought. _I will make sure it won't take that long_. She thought, instead of giving her brother an answer.

"So, when are you seeing him again?"

"He's taking me for dinner on Valentine's Day."

"I hope you didn't just convince me to make up with Skylor, because you already had other plans than spending the evening with your brother."

"Now you should know me well enough to understand that it was not the main reason. I just want my big brother to be happy."

"And I want my little sister to be happy, too. So I hope you'll have a great Valentine's Day."

"Thanks. You too."

"Say hi to Jay for me."

"I will. And you give a big hug to Skylor from me please."

"Sure, will do. And you can tell Jay that if he hurts you, I still know where his parents live..."

"Kaiii." Nya exclaimed. "Don't you dare scare him away! But I promise to call you, when I get back home after the date. But maybe you and Sky will be too busy to answer..."

"Haha, very funny."

"Just saying the truth. And I am very sorry, but I should _really_ get some sleep now."

"Alright then. Goodnight sis. Love you."

"Love you too, Kai."


	5. Chapter 5: Moment of Truth

Chapter 5: Moment of Truth

 _Tuesday evening_

The 12th of February had been a wet and windy day. Until it had turned into a _very_ wet and _very_ windy evening.

Pixal got off the bus and started to walk towards _Steep Wisdom_ , the restaurant where the young woman worked part-time. She was wearing a pair of grey jogger pants and had the hood of her purple _Ninjago Tech_ jumper pulled over her head. Luckily, she didn't have to walk far from the bus stop to her destination, this was not a pleasant moment to be outside at all.

 _What a miserable day._ She thought. _But at least that means it cannot get any worse, only better, right?_

No, so far, this Tuesday had definitely _not_ been one of the greatest days in the life of Pixal Borg.

Last night had been a very exhausting - physically and emotionally - evening.

While she would work late hours waiting tables at the restaurant three nights a week, she was not really used to going out herself. And the long yet very pleasant 'double blind date' with Jay, Nya, and of course _Zane_ had then been followed by a rather emotional conversation with her best friend.

While it had not taken her long to fall asleep last night, she had woken up around four this morning, unable to get back to sleep. Consequently, she had spent about two hours recalling the events of the previous evening and worrying about what was going to happen tonight, until she could finally leave her bed without the risk of greatly upsetting her sleeping roommate.

Unfortunately, her anxiety had not remained in her bed either but had followed Pixal all through the day, even at college. Thanks to her nervousness, she had hardly been able to eat anything during her breaks. And the lack of sleep in combination with her mind being rather occupied otherwise, today had been the first time that she had not been the first student in her programming class to complete her - very simple - assignment.

And to top it off, it hadn't stopped raining all day...

Pixal even had, only very briefly, considered to call in sick at work, just so she would have an excuse to _not_ face the handsome chef tonight. She had denied her feelings for Zane for so long, it couldn't hurt delaying her confession for a few more days...

But the green-eyed girl had never been one to back out of anything. She had made a promise to Nya (and herself) and she was going to keep it.

Pixal soon arrived at her workplace. Before she entered the small restaurant, she pulled back the soaked hood and ran her hands through her tousled and, despite the cover, slightly wet hair.

Back at their shared room, Nya had styled Pixal's hair and even applied some light make-up on her face, but due to the adverse weather conditions, it was _all_ gone now. The waitress didn't want to be seen by her co-workers in her current state, so she headed straight to the combined bathroom and changing room for the female employees.

Pixal changed into her work uniform – black trousers, white shirt and flat black shoes. She quickly dried her hair and was just checking her reflection in the mirror, when she heard a knock on the door.

"Pixal, are you in here?" Her colleague Chamille entered the room with a worried look on her face. "Are you alright? I saw you coming in but you didn't greet anyone and just rushed to the bathroom... I hope you aren't sick."

"I-I am fine," Pixal replied, despite feeling rather nauseous from her nervousness and the lack of food in her stomach. "I just got completely soaked on the way here and wanted to get out of the wet clothes as fast as possible."

"That makes sense, it's way too easy to catch a cold in this awful weather. But are you sure you are fine? You look very tired and pale..."

Pixal nodded. "Please do not worry about me, I just didn't sleep well last night."

 _And I now even have to face the reason for my insomnia._

"Had a good evening last night, I guess?" Her purple-haired co-worker smirked. "How did your date with Zane's friend go last night? Is he hot? Ooh, and how did Zane like _your_ roommate? I've tried to get some information from him, but he wouldn't tell me _anything_... _"_ Chamille complained.

 _Great, so that means Zane is already here._

When Pixal didn't reply, Chamille understood that she would not reveal any details either.

"Well, I'll leave you alone for now, but I _will_ find out sooner or later anyway." She shrugged. "We won't open for another twenty minutes and we are almost done preparing the menus and tables. So, why don't you sit down in the restaurant and I'll bring you a cup of tea to warm up? It's much nicer and especilly warmer there than the staff room." She suggested instead. "I'm sure _Sensei_ won't mind, but I will check with him for you." She left to talk to Mister Wu, the kind and wise elderly owner of _Steep Wisdom,_ who had been nicknamed _Sensei_ by his employees.

Pixal decided to follow Chamille's advice. This would buy her a few more minutes. And maybe a cup of tea would also calm her down a bit, so she would be ready to talk to Zane afterwards. She took a final look at herself in the mirror and exited the changing room. But when she came into the restaurant area, Pixal's desire for a hot beverage disappeared in an instance, when she saw Zane standing right next to the tea station.

He was still in his civil attire, _tight_ blue jeans (making her blush) and a bright white shirt - and he looked just as anxious and miserable as she felt.

"Hello Pixal." He greeted her. "I am glad you arrived early for work tonight, because... I would like to talk to you please."

"...I would like to talk to you please."

Zane mentally face-palmed. That must have been the worst introduction ever to what he was going to tell her. He couldn't understand why his mind had come up with such a _lame_ (as his friend Jay would call it) phrase. Zane was normally very eloquent – not as loquacious as his flatmate though – but he had never been short of words.

But as Pixal didn't object to his suggestion, he carefully took her hand and led her to one of the more private dining tables in a corner. He held the chair for her to sit down and took the seat right next to her.

"Can I get you anything to drink? A glass of water maybe? Or a cup of tea?"

"No, thank you." She shook her head. "Maybe later."

The last part was also directed at Chamille who was approaching their table with a steaming mug on a small tray. Her colleague and friend seemingly understood and wordlessly turned away.

 _Maybe she wants to have this conversation finished rather sooner than later... I better get straight to the point so she can reject me now._

He suddenly realised that he was still holding her hand. He instantly let go, but couldn't help noticing the slight blush on her normally pale face. It suited her well and Zane fondly remembered the short glimpse he had gotten at her rather unusual appearace, when she had arrived at _Steep Wisdom_ a few minutes ago.

Pixal had worn _very_ casual clothing and was soaking wet. Her hair had been completely undone from the rain and wind outside. But when he saw her face with a light rosy complexion and the green eyes sparkling brightly, he thought that she had never looked more beautiful than at that moment.

Zane swallowed. "Pixal, there is something I need to tell you."

He lowered his head down. "During our dinner last night – and when talking to Jay afterwards – I realised that... I have feelings for you. Romantic feelings, to be specific.

I know that... you see me as a friend and that there is only a small probability for you to ever return my feelings, especially considering the fact that you were the one to suggest our 'double blind date'. But I have given my word to Jay – and I owe it to myself to tell you that... I am in love with you."

 _Jay must have a stronger influence on me than I thought. Never have I ever used such a long sentence before, to cover my nervousness... Although... I cannot recall having ever been this nervous before..._

"Zane." Pixal's voice ripped him from his thoughts and he could feel the light weight of her soft hand on top of his own. Zane looked up. She was beaming at him.

"I-I was going to tell you the same." Her eyes were glistening with tears – but tears of happiness he hoped – and she leaned closer towards him. The soft floral scent of her perfume began to cloud Zane's mind, making it simply impossible to _think_ of something smart and romantic to say to her. So, to his own surprise, he found himself _acting_ on his feeling instead. Zane gently cupped her face with his hands and closed the small gap between their lips.

He got slightly worried when she did not respond immediately, but it only took her a brief moment, before she eagerly kissed him back.

Unfortunately, even a person who could hold his breath for several minutes under water needed air at _some_ point, so eventually they had to break the kiss. Both smiled at each other lovingly.

"I love you, Mister Julien." Pixal whispered.

"I love you too, Miss Borg." Zane answered.

"About that... I was surprised you didn't tell Jay that Cyrus is my uncle, when we arranged the blind date."

"I did not want him to like you for who you are related to, I wanted him to like you for who you _are_." Zane replied. "Jay admires Mr Borg. So if I had told him, he probably would have paid more attention to you, just because of your name. And... I know this sounds selfish, but... I am glad that he was not too interested in you..."

"So am I." Pixal kissed him again.

"Until just a few minutes ago, I felt like this was one of the worst days of my life." She told him, when they pulled apart again. "Thank you for turning it into the best day ever."


	6. Chapter 6: My Valentine

Chapter 6: My Valentine

 _Thursday evening_

Jay nervously paced up and down the footpath, waiting for Nya to arrive for their date.

 _Is this now our first or our second date?_ He had to keep his mind occupied by thinking about this and other _very_ _important_ questions, even if only to prevent himself from freaking out. And he had been doing it for the biggest part of the last three hours, since he had left work earlier this evening.

Luckily, he had not been too much affected by his upcoming date during the day. Sure, the blue-eyed young man was a high-strung and very emotional person and therefore got easily distracted. But whenever he was working on one of his inventions, he would get lost in his project and give it his undivided attention.

Even as a young boy, Jay had always loved inventing – although, as his friends would constantly remind him, his earlier attempts had usually not been very successful – and Cyrus Borg, the famous inventor and founder of Borg Industries, had been one of his childhood idols.

So, when he finished university about half a year ago, Jay was very excited about the opportunity to join Borg Industries and he very much enjoyed his position in the R&D department. Just two weeks ago, he had been assigned to work on one of Borg's latest ideas – and, according to the rumours in the company, one of the senior inventor's favourite projects – which had given him a huge boost of confidence in his own skills and his status within the team.

But right now, he just had other things - or rather another person - on his mind.

The 23-year old checked his watch for the umpteenth time since arriving at the restaurant about fifteen minutes ago. It was 7:50, so Nya still had ten minutes to arrive in time for their dinner reservation.

He was hoping she would be early though. Not only because he was excited to see her, but Jay _really_ needed someone to speak to. The talkative young man had really missed his flatmate and their usual conversation this evening. Despite their rather different personalities and work schedules, he and Zane had become good friends over the past few months of being flatmates.

Usually, when the inventor/engineer got back to their shared apartment from his work at Borg Industries, the chef would still be at home and they would spend some time together, before Zane had to leave for his own work at the restaurant.

But today, when Jay had returned home, Zane had already left to meet his girlfriend for their own little Valentine's date. As he and Pixal both had to work tonight, they had arranged to spend the afternoon together. Zane wanted to meet Pixal after her last class today, to go for a walk in a park nearby, followed by hot chocolate in one of the small cafés in the area.

Despite his own nervousness, Jay couldn't help but feel truly happy and smile, when he thought about the new couple.

 _Tuesday night_

 _Jay woke up with a start, when the door to their flat creaked and someone, his flatmate, entered the apartment. Jay sleepily checked the time on the tv, it was 1:30am. Great, he had fallen asleep on the sofa while watching tv – and while waiting for Zane to return from his shift at the restaurant._

 _Zane must have noticed the voices coming from the tv, for he came into the living room and looked at Jay in surprise. "Good evening, Jay. I am astonished to find you still awake at this time. Do you not have to get up early tomorrow morning?"_

" _Well, I wanted to wait for you, because... I wanted to find out how your night went, but... I fell asleep on the sofa I guess. That means I wasn't actually awake..." Jay grinned at his friend. "So, how was it?" He asked curiously._

" _If you are referring to my work tonight, the customers seemed to be very pleased again with their meals." Zane replied. "But if you want to know how my... conversation with Pixal went, I can assure you that I was_ more _than_ just pleased _with the outcome."_

" _So that means...?"_

 _Zane smiled happily. "When I confessed my affection to her, she told me that she reciprocates those feelings and... she has agreed to be my girlfriend."_

 _Jay got up and embraced his friend. "Ah, that's wonderful!" He told him. "I'm so happy for bith of you."_

" _Thank you, my dear friend." Zane replied and, for the first time ever, returned the hug. "And... that also means that for once, you were right." He admitted._

Of course, on Wednesday morning when he had to get up early for work, Jay had kind of regretted staying up that late. But as he came to the kitchen, he was surprised to find Zane already up and even preparing a splendid cooked breakfast for Jay, to thank him for his support.

So yes, even though he had needed a lot of coffee to make it through the day, it had been worth it. And, as another plus, their friends had given him an excellent excuse to talk to Nya over the phone again yesterday...

But still, Jay would have been happy to have someone around to encourage _him_ this afternoon.

He had tried to call his best friend, but this had only made things worse. Cole, who was planning on proposing to his girlfriend tonight, was even more tense than Jay – which was _almost_ impossible, especially as Cole was usually a very calm and composed person. So, first the first time ever, Jay had found himself trying to calm down his friend - and getting more nervous himself at the same time.

He stopped to quickly check his reflection in one of the dark store windows next to the restaurant, running his hands through his short yet always slightly messy auburn hair.

Jay and Nya were having dinner at a small and casual tapas place called _El Gran Devorador_. It was close to the Ninjago Tech campus and very popular among the students. Jay was therefore dressed a lot less formally compared to their dinner at _Garmadon's_ three nights ago. He had chosen a plain sky blue button-up shirt and black trousers, without a jacket or tie tonight. Of course, due to the cold weather, he _was_ wearing his favourite navy parka. But unfortunately, he had left his gloves at home, so his hands were rather cold, despite keeping them in his pockets.

Sure, Jay would have liked to to impress Nya by taking her to a fancier place, but this had been kind of a very last minute arrangement. All restaurants in Ninjago City were of course fully booked on this special evening and they had been very lucky to get a table here at all, thanks to Zane. Wanting to return the favour to his flatmate, the chef had spent the best part of yesterday morning on the phone, asking his friends and fellow chefs for any late cancellation.  
And, if Jay was honest with himself, a posh environment didn't really suit him anyway, it always made him feel rather uncomfortable and just not like himself. Also, he was pretty sure that Nya didn't mind either. After all, she knew about his background and had even witnessed some of his greatest invention failures – and she had still agreed to go out with him. And, according to Zane, the food at this place could easily match that at some of the finest (and a lot more expensive) Spanish restaurants.

When Jay turned around, he saw a petite person in a bright red winter coat and black knitted mittens approaching him. Nya raised her hand and waved at him, wearing a lovely smile on her face. The slightly flushed cheeks as well as the flat shoes suggested that she had walked the short way from her accommodation on campus.

Jay greeted his date with a gentle hug and gave her a quick peck on the cheek. They then entered the busy restaurant and removed their coats – and when he saw Nya's outfit, Jay _almost_ forgot to remove the small box from the pocket of his parka.

He couldn't help but stare I awe at the young woman. She was in a short sky blue dress and black leggings, so the colours of her outfit perfectly matched his own.

"Wow." He told her. "You-you look fantastic."

Nya beamed at him. "Thank you. You look great as well. I especially like your shirt, it's my favourite colour - as you can probably tell." She winked at him.

Their waiter led them to a small round table, luckily in a more private corner, where they sat down opposite each other.

Jay opened his menu. This time, Zane had given him some advice about the menu in advance and had even recommended a few items to try – and had also pointed out others to better avoid.

As suggested by his friend, Jay ordered a bottle of _cava_ for the two of them and together they chose a selection of different vegetarian _tapas_ to share.

While they were waiting for their food to arrive, they enjoyed their drink. As Nya told him about her day at medical school, Jay could feel himself relax and he decided that now would be a good time to give Nya her _Valentine's_ gift.

"So... uhm... speaking of today... well, what I mean is that it's Valentine's Day, so I have a little present for you..." He handed her a small square box with a red ribbon. "I hope you like them." He said nervously.

Nya opened the box and squealed with excitement. " _Mystake's_ chocolates. They are my favourites!" She called. "Thank you so much." She examined the label. "I thought I knew all her flavours, but I haven't seen these ones before..."

Jay was relieved that she enjoyed her gift. "These are special dessert flavours, they don't come in any of the mixed boxes and you can only get them from the counter at her shop." He explained. "I thought, because... well, you liked the dessert at _Garmadon's_ so much, you know? And these are the _tiramisu_ ones, I asked the lady to add a few more of them."

Nya blushed. "I can't believe that you would make all this effort to get _me_ a present... Oh, I _have_ to taste one now. Would you like one as well?"

Jay shook his head. "No, thank you. They are just for you, I hope you like them!"

"Mmh, they are amazing. I _love_ them." She replied. "And I do have something for you as well." The black-haired woman opened her handbag and took a little cellophane bag from it.

"I remembered that you always loved to eat the homemade cookies at our home. So...I got the recipe from my foster mum and made these for you. But... I'm afraid they are not as good as hers."

"Thank you. They look great and I am sure they will be delicious." He assured her. "Now _I_ can't believe that you would do so much for me..."

But before Jay could also try his present as well, their dinner arrived, comprising of several small dishes, including different types of meatless _croquetas_ , _berenjenas fritas_ , _espinacas con garbanzos,_ and, of course, Jay's favourite type of _tapa_ : _tortilla de patata._

"It was a great idea to come here." Nya remarked, while picking a black olive from its little terracotta bowl. "I've never been here before, although it is so close to the campus. But I'll definitely come back."

"Yes, the place has a great atmosphere and the food is great." Jay agreed. "But it wasn't my idea, we have to thank Zane for it. He knows the owner, which is why he was able to arrange this super-last-minute reservation for us..."

"Oh, I will. I guess I will see him around more often at our place now anyway..." Nya said with a smile. "It was really cute when he came to collect my roommate for their date this afternoon. He gave her a beautiful bouquet of purple and white roses. Pix loves purple, so she was absolutely delighted."

 _I am going to buy ink and white roses to make her some blue flowers for our next date then._ The passionate inventor/engineer thought. **[*]**

"They are such a lovely couple." The young woman continued. "I have never seen Pixal this elated before. She's normally more the analytical and even reserved type of person, but she's been very emotional for the past three days. But in a good way."

"Yes, it's the same with Zane. I've only known him for a couple of months, but during this time, he has never been happier." Jay told her. "Hard to believe how much convincing it took to get them to just talk to each other about their feelings..."

"You and Zane seem to be really great friends; tell me, how exactly did you meet him?" Nya enquired.

"We actually haven't known each other for very long. When I started the job with Borg Industries after college, I was looking for a shared place. And Zane was looking for a new flatmate at the same time, so I'd say it worked out pretty well for both of us."

"And how is your work going? You didn't get to tell me about your new project last time."

Being very interested – and skilled – in technology herself, Nya was always curious about the latest developments in this area.

"Ah, this project is sooo cool." Jay excitedly told her. "We are developing a completely new virtual reality experience."

"Oh, wow, so you are one of the engineers assigned to _Digiverse_?" Nya sounded rather impressed about this fact. But Jay was even more impressed that _she_ knew of the project. _He_ had only found out about it when he had started working on it two weeks ago.

"How-how do you know about the _Digiverse_?"

"Oh, Pixal has briefly mentioned it. Cyrus showed her some of his ideas during one of her recent visits. She said that he was very enthusiastic about this project." She smiled. "I bet the two of you get on really well, what with your shared love for inventing."

"How come Pixal knows him?" Jay wondered.

"Cyrus is her uncle, her full name is Pixal _Borg_."

"He is whaaaaat?" Jay gasped. "This is just... _wow_! Why didn't you tell me this before? And why didn't Zane tell me? Oh, I can't believe _nobody_ has told me. This is sooo exciting..."

Jay suddenly stopped. He blushed and looked down in embarrassment. "I guess _that's_ why..." He mumbled. "Sorry about that."

"Hey, you don't have to apologise for being passionate about what you do. I-we all know how much you admire Dr Borg and his work."

"Yes, but if I had known about this before our dinner, I am sure that I _would_ have wanted to talk to her about her uncle's work and that really would have ruined everyone's evening..."

 _And worst of all, I would have spent less precious time talking to you. I guess I must thank Zane for not telling me._

"That's true. But don't worry, she would never tell anyone whom she has just met. _I_ only found out after about three months of being her roommate. Apparently, people have pretended to be her friend, just because of her family background..."

"That's really sad to hear."

"I know. Pixal loves her family very much, but she still wants to live her own life, without using _their_ name or _their_ money. I mean, she wouldn't _need_ to share a dorm room or have a job, but she _wants_ to. And she even enjoys working part–time at the restaurant."

"That is very impressive." Jay commented.

"And what is even more impressive is how she is able to work late hours and still excel in her classes. Sometimes I think she can't be human..."

"Then she and Zane really make the perfect couple." Jay laughed.

The two young adults finished their main course, accompanied by some light and cheerful conversation.

When Nya went to the bathroom, Jay was curious if he had received any news from his best friend, so he took his phone from his pocket and checked for new messages.  
There were two.

The first message wished him a 'Happy Valentine's Day love from mum and dad xx', followed by a gentle reminder to call again soon.

He replied, wishing them the same and promising to call the next day. Jay hadn't spoken to his parents since the previous weekend, so he would hopefully have a lot of exciting news to tell them.

Speaking of exciting news, the second message was from Cole, as Jay had hoped. His friend had sent a photo of himself and Seliel. The pink-haired woman was presenting her left hand with a beautiful ring to the camera. A message accompanied the picture: 'She said yes! You better start working on your best man's speech'.

When Nya returned to their table, she found her date looking at his phone with a wide grin on his face.

"Whatcha got there?" She asked. "Something great, based on your expession."

"I just got the most wonderful Valentine's message." He told her.

"Oh, you did?" Did she sound disappointed? Maybe even a tiny bit jealous?

"Oh, no-nothing like _that_." He reassured her.

"Here." He handed Nya the phone. "My best friend got engaged to his girlfriend."

"They look lovely. And _very_ happy." She commented.

"They are great. Cole was my roommate at university. He and Seliel have been dating since they met during their first week of college." _I would love to introduce you to them._

"Do you not want to send a reply?"

Jay topped up their glasses, while Nya moved her chair around the table, so she was sitting next to Jay. The both smiled and held their glasses filled with the delicious sparkling drink in the camera. Because he had the glass in his right hand, Jay _had_ to put his left arm around her to take the picture.

She didn't seem to mind though, as she snuggled even closer into his side.

"Please send me the picture as well." She asked.

"Sure." _And I am for sure going to save it._

'Congratulations, also from Nya.' Jay wrote.

'Nya? I thought your date's name was Pixal.' Cole's response came almost immediately.

'Let's talk tomorrow. Don't you have better things to do than sending messages to your friends?'

'Good idea.' Jay wasn't sure which part of the message Cole was referring to, probably both. He just wanted to put his phone away, when it buzzed again.

'Will she be your +1 at the wedding?' Jay was sure that Seliel had typed this question. He saw Nya already looking at the dessert menu, so replied quickly and put the phone away.

'I hope so.' He wrote.

After their dessert - _crema catalana_ and some of Nya's delicious cookies, Jay asked for the bill and they were soon on their way out.

But neither of them wanted to end their evening as of yet. "May I walk you home?" Jay asked carefully. When he had suggested to pick her up before the date, she had kindly yet firmly rejected his offer. But this time, Nya just smiled and took his hand.

"I'd love that." She said.

They walked across the still busy campus. Using her free hand, Nya pointed out some of the different buildings for Jay, who had studied at a different university. As they passed by the School of Chemistry, Nya suddenly remembered something.

"Oh, I almost forgot to tell you, my brother says hi. I told him about our date."

Jay stopped and let go of Nya's hand. He was glad that it was dark, so she couldn't see his face turning rather pale.

"Ah, thanks. Please say hi to him for me as well." He asked uncomfortably. "Did-did he say anything else?"

Sure, Jay was happy that Nya had mentioned him and their date to the undoubtedly most important person in her life, but... Kai knew about the crush Jay used to have on her – well, pretty much _everyone_ had known about it – and he might have told his sister...

 _Whenever they had to work on one of their science projects, they always met at Kai's home rather than at Jay's. Kai and Nya's foster mum would always make her amazing chocolate chip cookies for them and Jay was more than happy to avoid bringing his friends home to the junkyard. But the best part of it was to see Kai's sister._

 _Nya was pretty and funny and interested in their work. She even sometimes made helpful suggestions. Wayyy more helpful than Kai's ideas..._

"Well, he _did_ mention something - is that true that... you used to like me when we were at school?" She asked.

Jay sighed. "It is." He admitted, in a surprisingly calm voice.

"Then why did you never say anything?"

"I guess I was just scared. Mainly because I was worried about Kai's reaction..." They both laughed.

"But I was generally very shy around girls back then." Jay added. "When I had my first girlfriend in college, I was so nervous that I threw up when I tried to ask her out the first time."

"You certainly have improved since then." Nya chuckled.

"Well, I've had a bit of practice. Not too much though. I've dated a few girls, but... it just never worked out."  
 _So far. But I'm going to change that._

Nya thought for just a short moment, before she spoke again.

"This might sound strange, but I am actually really glad that you didn't ask me out back then. I probably would have said no. I mean, I liked you. As my older brother's friend. But I wasn't really interested in dating back then. According to Kai, I was the _only_ person in the whole school who didn't know about your crush on me..."

 _At least she is honest..._ Jay thought, but then he saw her smiling fondly at him.

"And this is exactly why I am glad that you didn't ask me. Because if I had rejected your _then,_ you probably wouldn't have asked my again _now_... and we would have missed a great opportunity."

 _If you see it that way, I should be grateful that I used to be such an idiot._

"Although..." Nya looked him in the eyes and pouted.

 _Great, I've messed up again. I guess I am still an idiot._

"I haven't got that dance you've promised me." She pretended to pout.

"Well, this date isn't over yet." He replied. "May I have this dance?"

Jay wasn't a great dancer like Cole who would catch everyone's attention as soon as he entered – or conquered – any dance floor. But his old-fashioned parents had insisted that their only son would learn at least the basics. So, Jay expertly put his right hand on Nya's left shoulder blade and took her right hand with his left, while Nya put his left hand on his right arm.

"What is your favourite dance?" Jay asked.

 _Please tell me it's something slow and not complicated. Like a Slow Waltz..._

She grinned. "The Viennese Waltz."

Of course, she had to choose something way more challenging. But he still wanted to keep his promise.

"Alright. But I may have to hold you a bit closer for this one."

Instead of replying, Nya simply took a step towards him herself.

 _1,2,3. 1,2,3._ Jay silently counted in his mind. _1,2,3. 1,2,3..._

Nya still was the great dancer as he remembered her, so she easily followed his rather clumsy lead. But after stepping on her feet a couple of times, Jay slowly became more comfortable as he started to remember the movements. He steadily increased the pace and even managed to reverse their direction a few times.

They whirled around the _Justus von Liebig_ square in front of the Chemistry Department, until they were both out of breath from both dancing and laughing.

They finally stopped and Jay gave her a little bow. "Thank you very much, Miss Smith."

"No, thank _you_ , Mr Walker." Nya replied.

They continued their walk towards the dorms, holding hands again. When they arrived at the entrance to the building housing Nya and Pixal's room, Jay gave her a short peck on the cheek. "Good night Nya."

"Good night Jay. Thank you for the wonderful evening."

"Then... would you like to repeat it?" He asked, his heart pounding in his chest. "Like, maybe, on Saturday? What about cinema?"

"I'd love to." She replied. "There's a new _Starfarers_ movie just out, it's supposed to be really good. Didn't you read the comics when we were at school?"

"I still do." Jay blushed.

"And if you want, we could have a small dinner beforehand?" Nya proposed. "But, just so you know, it will be _my_ turn to invite _you_ this time."

Jay was sure that he would lose any argument with the strong and self-confident young woman, but as Nya was still a student, he didn't want her to pay for dinner at a restaurant _and_ the movie...

"There's a cinema close to my place, so you could come over and we just get some take-out instead of going to a restaurant..." He suggested.

Would she consider it inappropriate if he invited her over to his apartment on just their second date? – _Or will it be the third date? We_ really _need to discuss this, and rather sooner than later before this question drives me nuts..._

But Nya just smiled at him. "That would be great. I had a wonderful time during our dinner, but the way back has been my favourite part of the evening."

"For me too." Jay agreed. Unfortunately, he really had to get home now, if he didn't want to have another overly tired day at work tomorrow. "So, I'll see you on Saturday? Around seven?" He asked.

"Sounds great, I can't wait."

 _Me neither._ Jay thought.

He leaned towards her to peck her cheek again, but Nya quickly turned her head so that he kissed her right on the lips instead.

This move took him completely by surprise, so Jay's reaction was to simply pull away and give her a surprised – shocked – look.

"I am sorry, I didn't mean to make you do anything you didn't want to." Nya told him, with a heavy blush on her cheeks. "I-I guess I just got the wrong impression..." Visibly embarrassed and upset, she opened her purse and looked for her keys to the building. "I better go now..."

"No, wait." Jay exclaimed. "I-I didn't... I mean... you-you just surprised me." He cupped her hot face with his cold hands and gently lifted it up, so that she was looking him straight in the eyes. " _I_ was the one who messed up." He stated firmly. "And I don't want you to think I didn't want it. Or that I am awful at this..."

He drew her in for a deep kiss. And Nya's reaction was _much_ better than his, as she immediately kissed him back.

"No, you're not." She told him, when they reluctantly parted again, after a rather long, passionate kiss.

"What?"

Nya smiled. "You're not a bad kisser at all. And I think I've just changed my mind about the best part of the evening..."

Jay was on his way home, happily recalling the events of the evening and thinking about what would happen to them next. He had only met Nya again three days ago, but he was sure that they both would do anything to make this work.

After their first date – Jay simply decided that to him it had been a date – Nya had been the one to contact _him_. He needed a good reason to call _her_ first this time.

Suddenly, he realised that he had forgotten to give her his address for their next meeting on Saturday. Jay smiled.

 _Yes, I guess that's a_ very _good reason._ He thought.

 **[* Unfortunately, blue roses don't exist naturally, although there are some 'blue' hybrids (but they look more purple or even pink-ish to me...). But you really can create lovely blue flowers from white ones by adding blue ink or food colouring to the water in their vase :D.]**


	7. A Walk in the Park (Bonus Chapter)

**I first posted this chapter about a year ago as a 'bonus chapter' to EA. When I decided to continue with this AU, I deleted it from here to use it as the first chapter of the sequel. But now that a sequel is definitely off the table (i.e. discontinued and deleted), I'm putting it back to its original place ;).**

* * *

A Walk in the Park

 _Three months later - Sunday noon_

Jay was rather impatient as he waited at the entrance to the Ninjago City Central Park, located in walking distance of the _Ninjago Tech_ campus. It was already ten past twelve, but Nya had just called to say that she would be a few minutes late. And he just couldn't wait to see her.

The young man wouldn't complain though. His girlfriend was currently preparing for her final exams, which were to take place over the course of the next two weeks. Jay therefore was simply glad that she had agreed to take off this Sunday afternoon from studying at all, to meet with her boyfriend for a three-months anniversary date.

Sure, they would talk every day on the phone or on their laptops, but seeing each other in person was a completely different thing. And unfortunately, that had only rarely happened over the past few weeks. For the previous month, Nya had spent most of her time at the desk, either in her small dorm room or at the campus library, living only on coffee, chocolate and some more nutritious and healthy leftovers her solicitous roommate Pixal would bring home from her shift at the restaurant. So, instead of taking her on a date at a café – or any other indoor place – Jay was going to take her for a walk through the park, to be followed by a picnic.

Luckily, today was a beautiful Spring day. While his favourite colour was blue, Jay also very much appreciated the fresh green of new grass and young leaves as well as the soft pastel tones of the spring flowers blooming around him.  
He only wore a blue T-shirt over his navy jeans, and he enjoyed feeling the warm air on his bare freckled arms.

He finally saw Nya walking towards the park at a quick pace. When arranging the date, Jay hadn't told her about his exact plans, just to meet him here and to wear _normal clothes, appropriate for the weather and comfortable shoes_. As requested, Nya was dressed in a pair of skinny dark jeans and a loose red top under her thin black jacket, as well as blue sneakers. Jay noticed that she had lost some weight since he had last seen her a week ago. When she spotted her boyfriend, Nya's – tired – eyes immediately brightened up and she happily waved at him as she quickened her pace even further.

Jay embraced her in a _very_ tight hug, taking in her familiar scent of coconut. He hadn't realised before just how _much_ he had missed holding her in his arms.

"I...am...so...sorry...I...am...late." Nya gasped. Jay reluctantly let go of her, to let her catch her breath. "I... _had_ set myself an alarm. But then... I wanted to... finish this chapter and then... Pixal was in the shower because she had to go to work and then Kai called and..."

Jay silenced her with a kiss. "Hey, you are turning into me." He smiled fondly at her. "And you don't have to apologise, I still remember _my_ final exams last year. Believe me, you are holding up really well, I was a _lot_ worse. Ask Cole."

Nya fondly smiled back and gave him another kiss. "Thank you. So, tell me. What have you planned for our surprise date?" She asked, noticing the small picnic basket standing next to them.

"Nothing special, actually. But you are stuck inside all the time and the weather is nice, so I thought we could just do a little stroll through the park and then have a picnic." Jay explained. "I had some help from Zane, so you don't have to worry about the food."

Jay's skills in the kitchen were generally quite good, but he had not much experience in preparing the vegetarian dishes his girlfriend preferred, so he had sought assistance from Zane, his flatmate and head-chef of _Garmadon's_ , one of the finest Italian restaurants in Ninjago City. And, conveniently, also the boyfriend of Nya's own roommate and friend Pixal.

"If the _two_ of you have prepared it, I am sure it will be delicious." Nya said, wrapping her left arm around his waist, while Jay put his right arm around her shoulders and took the basket with his left hand.

They had a casual conversation while walking, just enjoying each other's company as well as the stunning surrounding.

"Where would you like to go?" Jay then asked. "There are some nice picnic spots near the playground. But it might be very busy there, so I've also brought a blanket in case there are no tables left or if we want to go somewhere less noisy."

Due to the nice weather, the park was crowded on this Sunday early afternoon.

"I wouldn't mind a bit of noise, after a while this absolute silence in the library or in my room can get really annoying."

"I find silence in general pretty annoying." Jay commented with a smirk.

Nya grinned. "I would have never guessed that..." She teased him. "And you _really_ must be rubbing up on me. Kai also complained that I talked too much when I spoke to him on the phone two days ago."

"That sounds very much like Kai." Jay laughed. "By the way, how is he doing? You haven't mentioned any trouble between him and Skylor for a while."

Nya's older brother had been in an on/off relationship with his girlfriend for over five years now. Although they would argue and break up with each other on a very regular basis, they still loved each other very much and always would soon make up again afterwards.

The young woman sighed. "I know." This short answer surprised Jay, especially the tone in which it was said. They stopped and Jay set down the picnic basket and removed his arm from her shoulder to take both her hands into his.

"What's the matter?" He asked. "You sound worried instead of relieved."

"Either he and Skylor _really_ haven't had any big fight for the last six weeks or so, or Kai just hasn't told me about it. Whenever I ask him, he just says they're doing fine, but I have the impression he is hiding something from me. Kai knows I'm pretty stressed out about the exams at the moment, so maybe he just doesn't want me to worry about _him_ as well..."

Even though Nya was 22, Kai was still the same caring _*overprotective*_ big brother that he had been when they were all together at school. Jay had experienced it himself a few weeks ago, when he had met his former classmate again; only this time not as Kai's science partner but as his little sister's boyfriend. Jay gave her hands a little comforting squeeze.

"Or maybe everything just _is_ alright this time. Be positive. I am sure he would tell you if something was _totally_ wrong. But if you want, I can talk to him as well."

"I guess you are right. And I am just too much used to them fighting and breaking up all the time." Nya smiled weakly, but she still didn't sound entirely convinced. But they silently agreed to drop the topic and rather make the most of their - anyway way too short - time together.

When the couple arrived at the picnic area, they saw that all picnic tables were occupied, so they chose a spot under a nearby cherry tree for their picnic instead. It was a little further away from the playground, but still close enough to hear the shouting and laughing from the swings and slides.

"I think this is noisy enough, even for me." Jay stated, while gently putting down the picnic basket. He opened it and carefully removed a small bouquet of spring flowers that was lying at the top, before he took the picnic blanket from the basket. Together, they laid it out on the ground and sat down.

He smiled at Nya. "I've got something for you. You've already seen it anyway, so it's not a surprise anymore and I can as well give it to you right now instead of later."

Truth be told, Jay was not a very patient person and he _wanted_ to give her his present rather sooner than later, and he hoped to put a genuinely happy smile back on her beautiful face.

"You hardly get to enjoy the spring, so I thought you could use some spring flowers inside your room. To brighten up your room."

 _Just as you brighten up my day._ Jay added in his thoughts. But he felt that it would probably sound way too cheesy if spoken out loud. He had chosen a small bouquet of white tulips and pastel pink peonies that coincidentally matched the colour of the cherry blossoms right above them. The ends of the flowers were carefully wrapped in moist tissue and then covered with a small plastic freezer bag, to keep them fresh during their date – a sensible recommendation from Zane, of course.

"And some of your favourite treats to help you get through your exams." He also handed her a box of the famous and much loved _Mystake's Chocolates._

"Thank you. They are lovely." She took in the scent of the bouquet before carefully placing it next to her and leaning towards her boyfriend.

"Not as lovely as you." Jay closed the gap between them, connecting their lips.

Nya immediately responded by wrapping her arms around his neck and deepening the kiss. They both enjoyed their moment, but it was soon interrupted by the sound of Nya's stomach rumbling.

She pulled away, blushing profoundly. "Sorry." She mumbled.

Jay chuckled. "I have shared a dorm room with Cole for four years, I am used to _that_ sound."

His college roommate had a – hard-earned – reputation for being _always_ hungry.

"And I bet you haven't eaten much today. _If anything at all_." Jay added firmly.

"Just some cereals for breakfast." Nya admitted. "I am actually starving."

"Well, it must be your lucky day then." Jay continued to unpack the basket and presented its content like a meal at a fancy restaurant, causing his girlfriend to laugh at his antics. "We have sandwiches – ciabatta with homemade hummus, cucumber, grated carrots and avocado – served with tomato and mozzarella salad and a small selection of your favourite _antipasti_ on the side, followed by some chocolate-coated mixed fruit skewers."

He also took out some reusable plastic plates, cups and cutlery as well as a bottle with a sparkling yellow drink.

"I know you need to go back to studying later, so I've brought some homemade lemonade instead of anything with alcohol. It's my mum's recipe and really good. And even still cold."

"So, how is Cole holding up?" Nya enquired, while they were enjoying their meal. "Is he finally starting to get nervous?" Jay best friend was getting married to his girlfriend Seliel in three weeks.

"No, he is still solid as a rock. I think Sel is more likely to freak out than him. But everything's going according to plan, as far as I know." Jay, as Cole's Best Man, was also involved in the wedding preparations. "I am meeting them tonight, so I should find out more then."

"Please say hi to them for me." Nya had met the couple a few times over the last three months and had become good friends with them, especially with the pink-haired bride-to-be. "And if they need any help just before or at the wedding, they can call me any time after the 26th."

"Oh no, I won't." Jay told her, smirking. "When your exams are over, _I_ am getting to spend some time with my girlfriend first."

Nya smiled. "And you will. Oh, I can't wait to be finished and then get away from here for a few days, just the two of us."

After Nya's final exam, they were going to spend a few days at a Spa and Beach Resort on the west coast of Ninjago, before travelling to Nom, Seliel's home town, for their friends' wedding.

"Me neither." Jay agreed. "I've really missed you. You know how much I love you, right?" He blurted out.

Realising what he just said, Jay's face turned the shade of lobster and he slapped himself mentally. He had _never_ said it to her before. In fact, he had never said it to _any_ girl or woman. Except to his mum, of course. But... that didn't really count here. And although it was true, this was definitely _not_ how he had planned to tell her.

Nya wordlessly stared at him, her eyes open in surprise. Jay mentally face-palmed, getting very nervous about her reaction. Of course, he had to blow it with his famous _motormouth_.

But then she broke into a bright smile, with a slight blush on her cheeks as well. "I-I love you too, Jay Walker."


End file.
